FORT WORTH, Texas — Austin Dillon, who was called a “punk-ass kid” by Kevin Harvick last week, said he got a face-to-face apology Friday morning from Harvick.

Harvick called Austin and Ty Dillon "punk-ass kids" after he and Ty wrecked during the Camping World Truck Series race Saturday at Martinsville Speedway. Harvick, who will move from RCR to Stewart-Haas Racing next season, said the Dillons — grandsons of team owner Richard Childress — were rich kids who had things given to them and were the reason why he was leaving the organization.

In his weekly appearance Wednesday on SiriusXM’s NASCAR channel, Austin Dillon said Harvick had been a hero of his for helping RCR through the tough times as the replacement for Dale Earnhardt following Earnhardt’s death in the 2001 Daytona 500. He also said he had forgiven Harvick, who had apologized Sunday on television.

“As soon as he saw (what I said), he messaged me and asked me to come talk to him when he got to the track,” Austin Dillon said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. “We had a conversation in the motorhome, and I think we are both better for it at this point in time.

“He apologized for it and was nice.”

Austin Dillon won the 2011 truck title and is leading the Nationwide Series points with three races left in the season.

“There’s always fuel — I’ve got a fire in my belly either way because that’s always been around, those comments,” Dillon said. “Every time you hit the track, you try to prove something. … I’ve heard (those comments) my entire career up from Bandoleros on up through and been able to get to this point somehow.

“It fuels you a little bit, but it’s not a distraction at all. I’ve handled it before and will move on.”